BTech, BMS courses likely to be scrapped

14-member DU committee’s recommendation to affect hundreds.

Students look at a notice put up at Delhi University on Saturday. ( Source: Express photo by Praveen Khanna )

With the rollback of the four-year undergraduate programme and return to the three-year format, the fate of BTech courses in Delhi University remains uncertain. The 14-member advisory committee, on Saturday, recommended scrapping of BTech and Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) courses for the new batch of students.

“On the basis of the directives issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which asked DU to go back to the admission policy of 2012-13, the committee has recommended that the BTech and BMS courses — introduced under the four year format — be scrapped. The move, though, will affect a substantial number of student,” Sunil Sondhi, Principal of Maharaja Agrasen College who is also on the advisory committee, said.

Six colleges were offering BMS degrees last year. The results of the BMS entrance test, which was conducted on June 26 amid the FYUP controversy, is likely to be used to admit students into BA (Honours) Business Economics (BBE), Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) and Bachelor of Financial and Investment Analysis (BFIA).

Last year, these three self-financing courses had been combined and modified, under the guidance of Faculty of Management Studies, into the four-year BMS course. The course has attracted over 25,000 applications this year, for just 840 seats.

“Admission to BBS and BA Hons (Business Economics) will be held on the basis of criteria already announced for BMS admission 2014-15. However, the best four subjects will be calculated as per admission guidelines for these courses, present in the year 2012-13. The seat distribution will also be restored to the status of 2012-13. Centralised counseling will take place as per the schedule, which will be be announced,” a notification by DU said.

News of the likely scrapping of the BTech programme has come as a shock to hundreds of students who are presently enrolled in the course. “When we enrolled for the programme, we were promised a BTech and not a BSc degree. It is unfair that a prestigious institution like DU is going back on it’s word. I really feel very helpless right no”,” Ansh Goyal, a BTech student, said.